Method and apparatus for floor control in multi-media push-to-talk network

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for floor control in a multi-media push-to-talk network is disclosed. A device for communication in the multi-media network includes a floor request sensor. The floor request sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The method includes sending a floor grant request message for a first media type in a multi-media dispatch communication session and a floor request message for a second media type in the multi-media dispatch communication session by a floor request sensor of a communications device to a dispatch network controller.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field oftelecommunications, and in particular to multi-media push-to-talkwireless communications networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, push-to-talk (PTT) communication networks primarily support voicecommunications. However, as the use of multi-media communications andinformation increases, e.g., video, gaming, etc., it is desirable toincorporate these additional forms of communications and informationinto PTT networks. These networks may be referred to as push-to-Xnetworks.

Currently, floor control processes, and the hardware for implementingthese processes, in PTT networks and PTT enabled devices are directed tosupporting voice communications. However, with these additional forms ofcommunications and information becoming available over the wirelessnetworks, and in order to efficiently utilize these additional forms ofcommunications and information, known floor control processes andapparatuses have deficiencies.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus forfloor control in a multi-media push-to-talk communications network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an embodiment of an apparatus of the presentinvention, a device for communication in a multi-media dispatch networkincludes a floor request sensor. The floor request sensor includes afirst sensor and a second sensor.

In accordance with an embodiment of a method of the present invention,the method includes sending a floor grant request message for a firstmedia type in a multi-media dispatch communication session and a floorrequest message for a second media type in the multi-media dispatchcommunication session by a floor request sensor of a communicationsdevice to a dispatch network controller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a method and apparatus in accordancewith the principles of the present invention for floor control in amulti-media push-to-talk network in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a method and apparatusin accordance with the principles of the present invention for floorcontrol in a multi-media push-to-talk network in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a mobile communications device inaccordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of types of floor control messages thatare associated with the sensors of the enhanced PTT button of the mobilecommunications device of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of types of floor controlmessages that are associated with the sensors of the enhanced PTT buttonof the mobile communications device of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a method and apparatus in accordancewith the principles of the present invention for floor control in amulti-media push-to-talk network in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention. As can be seen, a message flow diagram 10 isprovided for establishing a multi-media communication session between afirst user A and a second user B by a PTT signaling controller and floorarbitrator 100 (hereinafter “PTT controller”). Whereas the illustratedmulti-media communication session includes voice and video media, thepresent invention is not limited to only these two types of media. Thepresent invention may be practiced with any of a variety of media types,including voice, video, gaming, data, etc.

In this embodiment, in the PTT session setup 110, user A sends a floorrequest message 112 that requests the floor in the multi-mediacommunication session for both media types, i.e., voice and video, foruse by user A. The floor request message 112 is received at the PTTcontroller 100. As is known, PTT systems by nature and design allow onlyone participant to gain the floor. The person who has the floor then hasthe ability to send a communication to other participants in thecommunication session. The other participants must wait for the floor tobe released before they can then request the floor. This type ofcommunication system is a dispatch system, also known as a half-duplexsystem, where only one person at a time can send a communication toother participants. Thus, in step 112, user A is requesting the floor inthe multi-media communication session for both voice and videocommunications for user A's own use.

In response to the floor request message 112, PTT controller 100 grantsthe floor to user A for both media types in the multi-mediacommunication session, i.e., voice and video. PTT controller 100 maydetermine whether to grant the floor based on any of a variety ofparameters, however, the present invention is not limited to anyparticular decision process by the PTT controller 100 for determiningwhether any particular floor request should be granted. In granting thefloor to user A in response to the floor request message 112, PTTcontroller 100 sends a floor grant message 114 to user A and a floortaken message 114A to user B. Floor grant message 114 notifies user A ofthe floor grant and enables user A's communication device to send bothvoice and video communications to other participants, e.g., user B, inthe multi-media communication session. Floor taken message 114A notifiesuser B of the grant of the floor to user A for both voice and video.

After the floor is granted to user A for both voice and video, voice andvideo communications may occur in the PTT multi-media session 120. Inthe session, if user A no longer requires the floor, user A sends afloor release message 122 to the PTT controller 100 that releases thefloor for use by other participants in the session. The floor releasemessage 122 releases the floor for both voice and video communications,which was previously granted to user A as discussed above. In responseto receiving the floor release message 122, the PTT controller 100 sendsa floor idle message 124 to user B, and any other participants. Thismessage notifies the other users that the floor is now open and that itmay be requested by the other users. With the floor now open, asillustrated, user B sends a floor request message 126 to PTT controller100 to request the floor for both voice and video communications.

As illustrated, in this exemplary message flow diagram, PTT controller100 only grants the floor to user B for voice communications in responseto floor request message 126, which requested the floor for both voiceand video communications for user B. Again, as discussed above, PTTcontroller 100 may determine whether to grant the floor in response to arequest based on any of a variety of parameters. This exemplary messageflow diagram, where the PTT controller granted the floor to user A forboth requested media types and only granted the floor to user B for oneof the two requested media types, should not be construed as alimitation in any way on the capabilities of the communications devicesof user A or user B, or the PTT controller 100. This flow diagram isprovided as an exemplary call flow for a multi-media communicationsession between participants and how the various media types in themulti-media session can be independently controlled within the session.

Therefore, in this exemplary message flow diagram, where PTT controller100 only grants the floor to user B for voice communications in responseto a request by user B for the floor for both voice and videocommunications, the floor for video communications can be requested byany other participant in the session since the floor is idle withrespect to video communications. Thus, the different types ofcommunications in the multi-media session can be jointly andindependently requested, controlled, and granted in the session.

Continuing with the exemplary message flow diagram 10 of FIG. 1, ingranting the floor to user B for voice communications in response to thefloor request message 126, PTT controller 100 sends a floor grantmessage 128 to user B and a floor taken message 128A to user A. In thesame manner as discussed above, floor grant message 128 notifies user Bof the floor grant and enables user B's communication device to sendvoice communications to other participants, e.g., user A, in thecommunication session. Floor taken message 128A notifies user A of thegrant of the floor to user B for voice. After the floor is granted touser B for voice communications, voice communications may occur in thePTT media session 130. As was also discussed above, in the session, ifuser B no longer requires the floor, user B sends a floor releasemessage to the PTT controller 100 that releases the floor for voice foruse by other participants in the session. The PTT controller 100 thensends a floor idle message to the other participants regarding the floorfor voice communications.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a method and apparatusin accordance with the principles of the present invention for floorcontrol in a multi-media push-to-talk network in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention. As can be seen, a message flowdiagram 20 is provided for establishing a multi-media communicationsession between the first user A and the second user B by the PTTcontroller 200. Again, whereas this illustrated multi-mediacommunication session also includes voice and video media, the presentinvention is not limited to only these two types of media.

In this embodiment, in the PTT session setup 210, user A sends a floorrequest message 212 that contains a floor request for voicecommunications in the multi-media communication session for use by userA. User A also sends a floor grant request message 214 that contains afloor request for video communications in the multi-media communicationsession for use by a user other than user A, e.g., user B. Thus, in thisembodiment, a single user, e.g., user A, is able to request the floorfor one media type, e.g., voice, for its use and also to request thatthe floor be granted for another media type, e.g., video, for use byanother participant. In this embodiment, a user is able tosimultaneously request the floor for one media type for its use andrequest that the floor be granted to another participant for anothermedia type for use by that other user.

This feature has particular utility where each of multiple participantsin a multi-media communication session may only require the floor forone of the different media types in the multi-media session. A singleparticipant may both request the floor for the media type that itrequires and request that the floor be granted for the media typerequired by the other participant. This provides for greater efficiencyin the call set-up process for a multi-media communication session. Anexample of a multi-media communication session where each of twoparticipants may only require the floor for one of the different mediatypes in the multi-media session is where user B is using the mobilecommunications device to send to user A a video of a construction site,real estate property, objects in a shop, etc. User B only requires thefloor for video. However, user A, who is receiving the video from userB, may need to use its mobile communications device for a voicecommunication to user B in order to direct the camera movements of userB such that the desired video is received by user A. Thus, user A onlyrequires the floor for voice.

Therefore, in accordance with the principles of the present invention,the floor for each of the different media types in the multi-mediacommunication session may be granted to different participants. Further,any one of the participants may both request the floor for one mediatype for its use and grant the floor for another media type to anotherof the participants. Whereas the actual “grant” of the floor may beperformed by the PTT controller, as discussed above, the PTT controllermay be programmed in any of a variety of ways such that a received grantrequest is automatically approved if the respective floor is idle, suchthat, in effect, a user is granting the floor to another user by makingthe grant request.

Continuing with the discussion of this embodiment of the invention inFIG. 2, as can be seen, both the floor request message 212 and the floorgrant request message 214 are received at the PTT controller 200. Inresponse to messages 212 and 214, PTT controller 200 grants the floor touser A for voice and grants the floor to user B for video. In grantingthe respective floors to users A and B in response to user A's floorrequest message 212 and floor grant request message 214, PTT controller200 sends floor grant messages 216 and 216A to users A and B,respectively. Floor grant message 216 notifies user A of the floor grantfor voice to user A and the floor grant for video to user B and enablesuser A's communication device to send voice communications to otherparticipants, e.g., user B, in the multi-media communication session.Likewise, floor grant message 216A notifies user B of the floor grantfor voice to user A and the floor grant for video to user B and enablesuser B's communication device to send video communications to otherparticipants, e.g., user A, in the multi-media communication session.Since user B may not be aware that the floor has been granted to it,since the grant was initiated by user A, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention, the PTT controller may send aprompt to user B to notify user B of the granting of the floor for therespective media type. The prompt may be received by user B'scommunications device and displayed on a user interface of the device.

In an alternative embodiment, instead of sending a single message 216Ato user B, two messages may be sent to user B. A first message mayindicate that the floor has been taken by user A for the voice mediatype and a second message, called an unsolicited floor grant, mayindicate that the floor has been granted to user B for the video mediatype. This may be desirable because the first message is within generalinterface definitions of a PTT network, e.g., floor taken message 114Aof FIG. 1, and the second message is an extension message that alertsuser B of an unsolicited grant of the floor for the respective mediatype. Thus, this extension message does not violate what may be ageneral interface rule of not sending a floor “grant” message to someonewho did not request the floor.

After the respective floors are granted to users A and B, user A maysend a voice communication 222 to PTT controller 200, which in-turnsends the voice communication, as illustrated by message flow 222A, touser B in the split bidirectional voice and video PTT multi-mediasession 220. Similarly, user B may send a video communication 224 to PTTcontroller 200, which in-turn sends the video communication, asillustrated by message flow 224A, to user A.

In the session, if user A no longer requires the floor, user A sends afloor release message 226 to the PTT controller 200 that releases thefloor for voice for use by other participants in the session. In thisembodiment, when the PTT controller receives the floor release message226 related to voice communications, not only does the PTT controllerrelease the floor for voice, but additionally, responsive to this floorrelease message 226, the PTT controller sends a floor revoke message226A to user B which revokes the floor for video communications fromuser B. Thus, user B no longer has the floor for video. As discussedabove, since user B may not be aware that the floor has been revokedfrom it, since the revocation was initiated by user A's floor releasefor voice, the PTT controller may send a prompt to user B to notify userB of the revocation of the floor for video communications, and thusprompt user B to stop video communications. This prompt may also bereceived by user B's communications device and displayed on the userinterface of the device. Alternatively, a separate prompt from the PTTcontroller is not required. User B's communications device, in responseto the floor revoke message 226A will notify the user interface whichin-turn will notify user B and, possibly additionally, the media sourceto stop the streaming, e.g., in this case the video camera. A similarprocess can also be used for the UI prompt to start the video session,as discussed above.

This feature of the invention, where a single participant may bothrelease the floor for its media type and revoke the floor for the mediatype of another participant, which was requested during the floorrequest, may additionally provide for greater efficiency in the calltear-down process for a multi-media communication session. It may belikely that in such a multi-media communication session, if oneparticipant no longer requires the floor for one media type, thenanother participant(s) will no longer require the floor for the othermedia types(s), and thus, allowing a single user to control the releaseof the floors for the multiple media types will provide for greaterefficiency in the communications system. After the respective floorshave been released and revoked, PTT controller 200 sends floor idlemessages 228 and 228A to user A and B, respectively. As discussed above,these messages notify the users that the floor is now open and that itmay be requested by the other users.

In further implementing the request messages for the multi-mediacommunication session of the present invention discussed above, asillustrated in an embodiment in FIG. 3, the present invention alsoprovides a communications device with an enhanced PTT button. As can beseen, communications device 300 includes an enhanced PTT button 310. ThePTT button 310 includes an upper sensor 320, a middle sensor 330, and alower sensor 340. Thus, the PTT button 310 contains three differenttouch-sensitive areas that are disposed across an upper button area 310Aand a lower button area 310B, which are capable of implementing therequest messages discussed above. Thus, with the enhanced PTT button 310of the present invention, a button is provided that can implementmultiple variations of a floor request message in a multi-mediacommunication session. Thus, with the present invention, a single buttondoes not provide a single function.

The present invention is not limited to any particular embodiment forhow the button is configured to implement the various request messages.For example, the button 310 can include separate physical buttons foreach of the sensors or can include a touch-sensitive pad where differentgeometric areas of the pad are each associated with a respectivepossible floor request message. Additionally, the various sensors may behard-wired to perform specified functions or may be configured bysoftware such that any particular sensor may be programmed to performany particular function.

FIGS. 4 and 5 provide illustrations of the various types of floorcontrol messages that may be individually implemented by the multiplesensors of the enhanced PTT button of the present invention.

The floor control messages of FIG. 4 generally correspond to the messageflow diagram 10 that is provided in FIG. 1 for establishing amulti-media communication session between the first user A and thesecond user B. In the flow diagram of FIG. 1, users A and B request thefloor for their own use. Thus, in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention, a user is able to request the floor for either onemedia type for its own use, e.g., voice or video, and/or request thefloor for both media types, e.g., voice and video, for its own use. Inthis embodiment of a multi-media communication session, the multiplesensors of the enhanced PTT button could be configured as shown in FIG.4. Thus, the upper sensor 320 could be utilized to send a floor requestmessage to the PTT controller where the user requests the floor for onlythe voice media type in the multi-media communication session. Themiddle sensor 330 could be utilized if the user desired to send a floorrequest message to the PTT controller where the user requests the floorfor both the voice and video media types in the multi-mediacommunication session. Lastly, the lower sensor 340 could be utilized ifthe user desired to send a floor request message to the PTT controllerwhere the user requests the floor for only the video media type in themulti-media communication session. Thus, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention, a single button can be utilized tosend various floor request messages in a multi-media communicationsession.

The floor control messages of FIG. 5 generally correspond to the messageflow diagram 20 that is provided in FIG. 2 for establishing amulti-media communication session between the first user A and thesecond user B. In the flow diagram of FIG. 2, user A can request thefloor for one media type, e.g., voice or video, for its own use andgrant the floor for another media type for another participant's use. Inthis embodiment of a multi-media communication session, the multiplesensors of the enhanced PTT button could be configured as shown in FIG.5. Thus, the upper sensor 320 could be utilized to send a floor requestmessage to the PTT controller where the user requests the floor for thevoice media type in the multi-media communication session for its ownuse and grants the floor for the video media type to another party(s).The middle sensor 330 could be utilized if the user desired to send afloor request message to the PTT controller where the user requests thefloor for both the voice and video media types in the multi-mediacommunication session, as discussed above with respect to the embodimentof FIG. 4. Lastly, the lower sensor 340 could be utilized if the userdesired to send a floor request message to the PTT controller where theuser requests the floor for the video media type in the multi-mediacommunication session for its own use and grants the floor for the voicemedia type to another party(s). Thus, again, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention, a single button can be utilized tosend various floor request messages in a multi-media communicationsession.

Whereas the disclosed embodiments principally describes a private PTTcall between two users A and B, the principles of the present inventioncan also be applied to group calls where one party is able to requestthe floor for one media type for himself/herself and request that thefloor be granted to another member, or members, of the group call foranother media type(s).

The disclosed embodiments are illustrative of the various ways in whichthe present invention may be practiced. Other embodiments can beimplemented by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention.

1. A device for communication in a multi-media dispatch network,comprising: a communications device, wherein the communications deviceincludes a floor request sensor and wherein the floor request sensorincludes: a first sensor; and a second sensor; wherein the first sensoris associated with a floor grant request message related to a firstmedia type in the multi-media dispatch network and a floor requestmessage related to a second media type in the multi-media dispatchnetwork; and wherein the second sensor is associated with a floorrequest message related to both the first and second media types in themulti-media dispatch network.
 2. The device according to claim 1:wherein the first media type is a voice communication and the secondmedia type is video.
 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein thefloor grant request message related to the first media type requeststhat a floor be granted to a second communications device for the firstmedia type.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the floorrequest message related to the second media type requests that a floorbe granted to the communications device for the second media type. 5.The device according to claim 1, wherein the floor request sensor is atouch-sensitive pad and wherein the first sensor is an upper portion ofthe touch-sensitive pad and the second sensor is a lower portion of thetouch-sensitive pad.
 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein thefirst sensor is a first physical button and wherein the second sensor isa second physical button.
 7. The device according to claim 1, whereinthe floor request sensor includes a third sensor and wherein the thirdsensor is associated with a floor grant request message related to thesecond media type in the multi-media dispatch network and a floorrequest message related to the first media type in the multi-mediadispatch network.
 8. The device according to claim 7, wherein afunctionality of the first sensor, the second sensor, and the thirdsensor is programmable by software.
 9. A method for floor control in amulti-media dispatch communication session, comprising the steps of:sending a floor grant request message for a first media type in themulti-media dispatch communication session and a floor request messagefor a second media type in the multi-media dispatch communicationsession by a floor request sensor of a communications device to adispatch network controller.
 10. The method according to claim 9,further comprising the steps of: granting a floor to a secondcommunications device for the first media type in response to the floorgrant request message by the dispatch network controller; and granting afloor to the communications device for the second media type in responseto the floor request message by the dispatch network controller.
 11. Themethod according to claim 10, wherein the first media type is a voicecommunication and further comprising the step of receiving a voicecommunication from the second communications device at the dispatchnetwork controller for forwarding to the communications device.
 12. Themethod according to claim 10, wherein the second media type is video andfurther comprising the step of receiving a video from the communicationsdevice at the dispatch network controller for forwarding to the secondcommunications device.
 13. The method according to claim 10, furthercomprising the step of sending a prompt to the second communicationsdevice by the dispatch network controller to notify the secondcommunications device of the granting of the floor to the secondcommunications device for the first media type.
 14. The method accordingto claim 13, further comprising the step of displaying the prompt on auser interface of the second communications device.
 15. The methodaccording to claim 9, wherein the first media type is a voicecommunication.
 16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the secondmedia type is video.
 17. The method according to claim 9, furthercomprising the step of programming a functionality of the floor requestsensor by software.
 18. A device for communication in a multi-mediadispatch network, comprising: a communications device, wherein thecommunications device includes a floor request sensor and wherein thefloor request sensor sends a floor grant request message for a firstmedia type in a multi-media dispatch communication session and a floorrequest message for a second media type in the multi-media dispatchcommunication session.